Chapter 24: The Harmless Princess of Beiyang vs. The Fratricidal Prince of Beiyang

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The two sat in silence. From time to time, Xiao Zexuan would glance up at her, looking as though he wanted to say something but could not bring himself to speak.

“My lord, Qingyu has returned...”

The maid’s voice drifted in from outside. Xiao Zexuan’s brows drew together slightly. Only then did he release Wen Yurou’s hand, rise, and walk toward the door.

Wen Yurou set down her spoon and asked, “My lord, did she really kill Liu Wenyu?”

Xiao Zexuan stopped without turning around.

“Once the matter has been fully investigated, she will naturally be able to return home. If you wish to see her, that can also be arranged...”

Wen Yurou nodded. “I understand...”

Xiao Zexuan walked out. He seemed to have something he wanted to ask, yet was unable to put it into words.

Inside the study.

Qingyu stood before Xiao Zexuan. He stared at him in shock.

“What did you just say?!”

“Wen Ruwei confessed... She said that last night she was with Liu Wenyu’s elder brother, Liu Yangjiang...”

Qingyu finished hesitantly, and Xiao Zexuan’s brows knitted tightly.

His voice was cold and heavy. “And then?!”

“She said... she also said... that Liu Yangjiang...”

Qingyu did not finish the sentence. He knew what consequences those words would bring. Yet if he said nothing, the confession had already been signed and stamped with a fingerprint. It would be difficult to explain once it was produced later.

At those words, Xiao Zexuan’s face darkened with terrifying gloom. The veins at his temples throbbed, and his hands clenched into fists.

He suddenly rose and strode toward the door.

“My lord!”

Qingyu hurried after him. Xiao Zexuan’s pace was swift, and Qingyu caught up only after running several steps.

“My lord, what are you planning to do?”

“Seize Liu Yangjiang. We cannot rule out the possibility that the two of them conspired to commit the crime.”

Qingyu froze at those words, staring at Xiao Zexuan with an odd expression.

“My lord... what do you mean?”

The two of them had conspired to commit the crime?!

Xiao Zexuan’s expression remained cold and impassive. Without offering any explanation, he turned and walked outside.

When Xiao Zexuan led his men straight to the Marquis’s residence, the household was busy preparing for Liu Wenyu’s funeral. No one had expected him to come.

The moment they saw him, everyone lowered their heads and scarcely dared to breathe, completely unable to guess why he had come.

“Director...”

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Xiao Zexuan did not respond. His gaze fixed directly on Liu Yangjiang, and his voice was steady.

“You were with the Second Young Madam last night!”

“...Yes.”

Liu Yangjiang answered in a low voice, without sensing anything amiss.

But Xiao Zexuan’s next question caused his expression to change slightly.

“What did you do to her?”

After hearing the question, Liu Yangjiang’s face stiffened, and he said nothing.

Xiao Zexuan stared at him sharply. After waiting several moments without receiving an answer, he barked, “Speak!”

Liu Yangjiang looked up at him for several seconds. Seeing the ruthless glint in Xiao Zexuan’s eyes, he felt his heart seize, as though an invisible hand had clamped around his throat.

“Last night...” Only after a long pause did he slowly speak, his voice hoarse. “I was merely... with her... She went to the kitchen to fetch some hangover soup... We simply happened to run into each other...”

After saying this, he felt an inexplicable discomfort in his chest, as though something had lodged there and refused to move.

Xiao Zexuan studied him for several seconds. Seeing how unpleasant Liu Yangjiang’s expression had become, he faintly furrowed his brows. Wen Ruwei had never mentioned this.

“Take him away!”

Xiao Zexuan narrowed his eyes and turned to the men behind him.

“I now suspect that you and Wen Ruwei conspired to kill—”

Before he could finish, a voice interrupted him.

“Everyone clear the way! The Grand Tribunal is conducting an investigation!”

Turning toward the sound, they saw a group of men in the official uniforms of the Grand Tribunal approaching.

Xiao Zexuan’s brows drew together as he stared at the man leading them.

Who was this?

Wasn’t the head of the Grand Tribunal Li Zongbai?

He had never seen this man before. Ordinarily, the Censorate would be the first to learn of any transfer of office. Otherwise, why would he have schemed so hard to obtain his current position? It had not only made investigating the events of that year easier, but also allowed him to learn of those people’s movements at the earliest possible moment.

The leader paid no attention to Xiao Zexuan’s gaze. Toying with something in his hand, he walked up to Liu Yangjiang and studied him for several seconds. Then he turned, clasped his hands toward Xiao Zexuan, and said, “Greetings, Director.”

Xiao Zexuan narrowed his eyes slightly.

“You are...?”

“Me? My surname is Zhou, my given name is Ziqing. I am the newly appointed Minister of the Grand Tribunal.”

“The newly appointed minister?” Xiao Zexuan’s expression grew more solemn. “The Censorate has received no notice of your transfer!”

“Director, rest assured. The transfer document should have arrived by now. This case belongs to the Grand Tribunal in the first place, so I ask that you refrain from interfering.”

At those words, Xiao Zexuan’s face turned gloomy.

“Where is Li Zongbai?”

“He was killed by bandits while returning to his hometown. His body was horribly mutilated,” Zhou Ziqing replied. After a pause, he added, “Has no one informed you of this, Director?”

Xiao Zexuan said nothing.

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Seeing that he remained silent, Zhou Ziqing continued, “This case has already been transferred to the Grand Tribunal. I ask that you refrain from interfering, Director.”

Xiao Zexuan stared fixedly at him for several seconds.

“The Censorate oversees all officials. I intend to take charge of this case.”

“Director, do not act recklessly. I am also handling this matter impartially,” Zhou Ziqing said.

Xiao Zexuan narrowed his eyes.

“Liu Yangjiang and she...”

“Director, please do not draw hasty conclusions. The case has not yet been settled, and all the evidence consists of Wen Ruwei’s testimony. Do you possess any other evidence?” Zhou Ziqing asked.

“...”

Xiao Zexuan remained silent.

Seeing that he had no answer, Zhou Ziqing continued, “You do not, do you? Since that is the case, I ask that you refrain from acting rashly. Once the investigation is concluded, if you wish to interrogate him, I naturally will have no objection.”

Xiao Zexuan’s expression was exceedingly grim.

“What about Liu Yangjiang? You are taking him away?”

“No. The Marquis’s residence is currently holding a funeral, so there is no need to hurry with this case,” Zhou Ziqing replied.

Xiao Zexuan clenched his fists and stared at him for several seconds without speaking.

“Once again, I ask that you refrain from interfering,” Zhou Ziqing said.

At this, a ruthless glint flashed through Xiao Zexuan’s eyes.

“The Censorate is conducting an investigation. Take him away!”

After Xiao Zexuan and his men departed with Liu Yangjiang, only a group of panicked people remained in the Marquis’s residence. They stared at one another, each of them utterly bewildered.

Why had the Second Young Master died?

What was the relationship between the Second Young Madam and the Eldest Young Master?

Why had the Censorate suddenly taken the Eldest Young Master away?

And what kind of background did that official from the Grand Tribunal have?

How had he suddenly been appointed minister?!

Everything was shrouded in mystery.

In the dungeon.

Supported by Chunmei, Wen Yurou stood before a cell door.

Wen Ruwei’s hair was in complete disarray. She lay there with vacant eyes, her entire body appearing haggard and worn, utterly unlike her former self.

Looking at her present state, Wen Yurou suddenly recalled the scene of the original owner’s death. A surge of delight stirred within her.